WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2938/98 by Graham WATSON to the Commission. Water safety standards at hotel and resort complexes
Date: 1998-10-08
Institutions: European Parliament, WATSON
Subjects: approximation of laws, hotel industry, provision of services, safety standard, sports facilities, tourist infrastructure

8.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 96/153

(1999/C 96/219)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2907/98

by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission

(2 October 1998)

Subject: Competition as regards authorities issuing driving licences

Can the Commission give an overview of the extent to which, in the various Member States, the organisation of
driving tests is entrusted to bodies other than government authorities?

Can it also indicate, if bodies other than government authorities are involved, the extent to which open calls for
tender are issued in advance?

Will it also investigate how, in the various Member States, appeals are dealt with against decisions taken by the
authorities responsible for issuing driving licences and if the procedure also applies to independent bodies?

Finally, can the Commission indicate whether, in addition to the possibility of acquiring a driving licence from an
appointed body, it is also possible to acquire a driving licence from another body appointed by the authorities?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(23 October 1998)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible.

(1999/C 96/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2938/98

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 October 1998)

Subject: Water safety standards at hotel and resort complexes

At the moment there is no Community legislation requiring hotels and resort complexes to employ lifeguards at
their swimming pools or any compulsion to provide multilingual information about their swimming facilities or
to provide lifesaving equipment. Does the Commission recognise this as an area which requires EU legislation?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 1998)

The Commission is aware of the potential dangers of swimming pools. Within the last two years, it has co-
financed four projects relating to safety in public swimming pools, prevention of drowning among children,
accident prevention in swimming pools and safety and quality standards in water parks.

There are many aspects which determine the level of safety in swimming pools. To those mentioned by the
Honourable Member may be added, for example, those linked to the actual construction of pools, their
maintenance, water quality, hygiene standards of ancillary services and staff training.

Some of these aspects are taken into account in Community Directives; for example, Council Directive 89/106/
EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the
Member States relating to construction products (1) raises the intrinsic safety level of works, Council Directive
89/686/EEC of 21 December 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to personal
protective equipment (2) covers, for example, lifejackets, Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on
the harmonization of the laws of Member States relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain
voltage limits (3) covers, among other things, the safety of electrical pumps, and Council Directive 89/391/EEC of
12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at
work (4) and its individual Directives cover the health and safety of workers carrying out their duties in swimming
pools.